Gallery: One victim among thousands in Central African Republic

4 February 2014

Dorassio L. is 23. He is among the many victims of the inter-communal violence taking place in the Central African Republic today. On January 18, he was shot in the arm in Bouar, in the country’s Northwest region. His arm had to be amputated. He was treated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Bouar, and then transferred by plane to the Bangui Community Hospital, where our surgical teams continue to monitor his condition.

MSF has been managing surgical emergencies at the hospital since early December, treating an average of 140 patients every week. One-third of them are hospitalized so that they can be operated on. Our surgical activities focus on victims of violence - including injuries from gunshots, knife attacks, grenade explosions and arrows. The patients’ prognosis for survival is often uncertain. In many cases, patients will, unfortunately, suffer permanent consequences from open fractures and complex wounds.

In a poor country, where there is no treatment for people with disabilities, what kind of future will Dorassio have?

Fifth operation

Photo: Mathieu Fortoul/MSF

The surgical team moves Dorassio L into the operating room and places him on the operating table. This will be his fifth operation since he arrived at the hospital.

Dressing wounds

Photo: Mathieu Fortoul/MSF

Although the procedure lasts only 20 minutes, it is stressful for the patient. Dressing wounds is very painful and requires a general anaesthetic so that the surgical team can clean the wound and change the dressing.

Recovery room

Photo: Mathieu Fortoul/MSF

Dorassio is in the recovery room for an hour, alongside MSF’s other surgical patients. The surgical team will perform more than 10 operations over the course of the day. All of these patients are considered serious cases.

Family support

Photo: Mathieu Fortoul/MSF

Dorassio’s older sister, Cynthia, comes every day to provide support, help him wash and eat, and keep him company.

Post-operative care

Photo: Mathieu Fortoul/MSF

To address the inflow of patients in recent weeks, MSF teams have set up tents in the courtyard of the Community Hospital for more than 80 patients needing post-operative care. The wait between treatment and surgery is often long. Dorassio is practicing writing with his other hand to become a writer and tell his story.